November 08, 2013

To educate teenagers and their parents about the importance of responsible driving habits, Kia Motors America (KMA) and B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) Teen Pro-Active Driving School, recently added new cities to the 2013 training calendar. As the official vehicle and presenting sponsor of B.R.A.K.E.S., Kia provided a fleet of 32 vehicles to support the charity's life-saving mission. B.R.A.K.E.S. provides teens nationwide with no-cost, hands-on training, including a distracted driving exercise, emergency braking using the anti-lock braking system (ABS), evasive maneuvering and skid-control practice.

"KMA's partnership with B.R.A.K.E.S. underscores our company's commitment to safety and to giving back to the communities in which we do business," said Michael Sprague, Executive Vice-President, Marketing & Communications, KMA. "Taking care of our children and making the roads safer for everyone is a noble cause, and we're proud to help B.R.A.K.E.S. founder Doug Herbert and his team grow the program to engage more teens and their parents."

Upcoming training dates include November 23-24 in Raleigh, N.C. (wait list only); November 30-December 1 in Pomona, California, and December 7-8 in Irvine, California. And through a recently announced collaboration with the North Carolina Highway Patrol, additional schools are expected to be added soon in the Raleigh, N.C., area, as well as other locations.

"More than 85 per cent of teens will have an accident in their first three years on the road," said Herbert, NHRA Top Fuel Drag Racer and Founder of B.R.A.K.E.S. "Kia's partnership has helped expand the training program to new cities and save lives by educating teens and their parents about the importance of defensive driving techniques."